M. Clemenceau.--“And what makes him think that it is the work of
another?”
M. Bertillon.--“Now we are falling back upon my depositions of
Saturday. This will never end.”
M. Clemenceau.--“Since the affair of 1894, has not the witness made a
demonstration to strangers or to friends, I do not say of the guilt of
Dreyfus, but of his system?”
The Judge.--“Have you made a demonstration of your system? What is the
system which you have employed to arrive at the result of which you
have just told us?”
M. Bertillon.--“You are asking me for a theoretical course in the
expert examination of handwriting. I published two articles on that
subject a few weeks ago in ‘La Revue Scientifique.’”
M. Labori.--“We have read them, but I do not find there what I ask.
On the contrary, I find there a demolition of expert examinations of
handwriting, leaving nothing of them.”
M. Bertillon.--“At the end of the article I say that only material
proofs can lead to the truth in matters of this kind. These material
proofs are in the file of 1894.”
M. Labori.--“No equivocation. I have the honor to be acquainted with
the file of 1894, since I am the counsel of Mme. Alfred Dreyfus, the
guardian of Dreyfus. I know this file, as well as the expert testimony
of M. Bertillon. It is there. I say nothing more. But there must be no
equivocation here, and M. Bertillon must not try to make us believe
that he has judged as a judge concerning material proofs touching
the substance of the trial. I ask him if the documents that were
delivered to him were secret documents concerning the treason, or mere
handwritings from which he has drawn conclusions.”
The Judge.--“Will you answer?”